Moths of South Florida
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Moths of South Florida Introduction We created this guide to the Moths of South Florida in honor of National Moth Week (July 23 -31), in the hopes of drawing attention to this often overlooked group of organisms, the moths. Moths are insects in the Order Lepidoptera, which is made up of butterflies and moths. The Lepidoptera contain at least 32 superfamilies in North America, only one of which--the Papilonidae--contains butterflies. That means the vast majority of Lepidopteran diversity comes from moths! However, we know very little about most spe- cies in terms of their ecology or even what they eat as caterpillars. We surely don't know all of the species in our area. From a conservation standpoint, we need to try to learn more about this diverse group in or- der to understand our ecosystems how to protect them. So please, get out there and observe! There are many great resources available to help. Let's work together to increase our understanding of this fasci- nating group of organisms in our region, or just simply enjoy some time outside. Using this guide: This guide is by no means comprehensive, and certainly favors more conspicuous species. This means that most of the moths in this guide are large, discernable, and often fly during the day. We attempted to rep- resent a number of evolutionarily distinct groups, whether superfamily or family, and each group is pre- sented in taxonomic order (i.e. in order of evolutionary history). The superfamily is in all caps on the side, followed by either family or subfamily, depending on the usefulness and availability of a common name, the idea being to get people recognizing groups. If the family name is the same as the superfamily, only one is listed. Common names for each species (where available) are listed in the top left of each box fol- lowed by the scientific name in parentheses. Each box will typically have two photos; one adult and one larva. We also list: wingspan (useful for knowing what size you'd be looking for), host plant (known plants utilized by larvae), and range (where the species has been documented). Some moths can eat a wide vari- ety of plants, and here they are listed as "generalists", which is often an oversimplification. In this case, search links below for recorded host plants. Photo credits are listed in the back of the guide. There will often be much more information than we are able to provide, so please take advantage of the great online resources listed below for all things moths. Helpful resources: http://nationalmothweek.org/ Moth identification: Bugguide.net (great for posting photos of your unknown insects. When you find the species you’re look- ing for, click “info” in the top left to learn more) Mothphotographers.msstate.edu Butterfliesandmoths.org Host plants: http://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/data/hostplants/search http://www.brc.ac.uk/dbif/ Moths of South Florida Scientific name Common Name Super Family Lesser Wasp Moth (Pseudocharis minima) 46. KIN AND OWLET MOTHS Wingspan: 30-35 mm Host plants: Cros- sopetalum spp. Range: S FL mainland and the Keys (endemic) - Tiger Moths 47. Family/ Sub- Family Photo Credits Moths of South Florida Abbot’s Bagworm (Oiketicus abbotii) Ailanthus Webworm (Atteva aurea) KIN AND MOTHS ERMINE Wingspan: 33mm Wingspan: 18-30 mm Host plants: Gen- Host plants: Tree of eralist Heaven (Ailanthus spp.) Range: Southeast- Range: E. North Am to ern U.S. to Texas S. Central Am, West – 1. Indies Ermines Tropical 98. 2. 3. 99. TINEOIDEA—BAGWORM MOTHS TINEOIDEA—BAGWORM Ragweed Plume Moth (Adaina ambrosiae) Black-shaded Platynota Moth (Platynota flavedana) Wingspan: 13-17 mm Wingspan: Range: 5- TORTRICIDS Host plants: Asterace- 8.5mm ae, mainly Ragweed Host plants: Generalist (Ambrosia) Range: East United States Range: Across US, West Indies 102. PLUME MOTHS MOTHS PLUME 100. ZYGAENOIDEA 101. 103. Pecan Carpenterworm Moth (Cossula magnifica) Saddleback (Acharia stimulea) Wingspan: 32-45 mm 60. Host plants: Wood bor- ers; Pecan, hickory, oaks, Wingspan: 26-43 mm persimmon Host plants: Generalist Range: Southeast US Range: MA-FL, MO- - Slug Slug Caterpillars TX 104. CARPENTER AND LEOPARD MOTHS LEOPARD AND CARPENTER 61. 105. Moths of South Florida ZYGAENOIDEA Southern Flannel (Megalopyge opercularis) Grapeleaf Skeletonizer (Harrisina americana) 35. 64. Wingspan: 24-36 mm mm Wingspan: 18-28 mm Host plants: General- Host plants: Grape fo- ist esp. oak and elm - liage, Redbud, Virginia Leaf Skeletonizers Flannel Moths Flannel - Range: Widespread Creeper Eastern U.S, Central Range: Mexico-South America, Northern America. SC-FL, AR- South America TX 65. 36 ZYGAENOIDEA PYRALOIDEA Seagrape Borer (Hexeris enhydris) Dichogama amabilis Wingspan: ~25 mm Wingspan: 34-38 mm Host plants: Host plants: Wood Jamaican Sea Grape and borer: - Capertree Moths Snout Crambid Pigeon Plum 15. Range: Puerto Range: Central and Rico, Cuba, WINGED MOTHS Soutehrn florida to - FL 97. Keys, Cuba, Central America WINDOW 16. Fiddlewood Leafroller (Epicorsia oedipodalis) Hyalorista taeniolalis PYRALOIDEA 25. Host plants: Dev- Wingspan: 37-39 mm il’s-claw (Pisonia Host plants: Fiddle- aculeata) and Nyc- - Crambid Snout Moths Snout Crambid wood (Citharexylum), taginaceae Sea Grape & Pigeon Range: CA, FL, TX Crambid Snout Moths Snout Crambid - Plum (Coccoloba spp.), Lancewood (Nectandra) RALOIDEA RALOIDEA PY Range: Caribbean, FL 41. 26. Moths of South Florida Coffee-loving Pyrausta (Pyrausta tyralis ) Genista Broom (Uresiphita reversalis) PYRALOIDEA 84 31. Wingspan: 27-34 Wingspan: 16-20 mm mm Host plants: Gener- Host plants: Wild alist - Crambid Snout Moths coffee, Purplestem Range: Widespread Beggarticks, Dahlia Crambid Snout Moths Crambid Snout (CA-ME, FL-Puerto - Range: Widespread Rico) (FL-AZ, NY-IL) 85. 32. PYRALOIDEA Satin White Moth (Palpita flegia) Dot-lined White (Artace cribrarius) LAPPETCATEPILLARS AND MOTHS TENT 50. Wingspan: 25-62 mm Host plants: Yel- Host plants: Oaks, low Oleander Cherries , and Rose Range: FL-TX Range: Southeast Crambid Snout Moths Moths Crambid Snout - 106. US PYRALOIDEA 51. 107. Io Moth (Automeris io) Polyphemus Moth (Antheraea polyphemus) BOMBYCOIDE 44. Wingspan: 100-150 mm Wingspan: 50-80 Host plants: General- mm. Males yellow. ist. Broad-leaved trees and shrubs Host plants: Gener- - Giant Giant Silkworms Buck and Io Moths Io and Buck alist. Various Range: Southern U.S - DE woody plants Range: Eastern two- thirds of U.S. 88. 45. 89. BOMBYCOI Moths of South Florida BOMBYCOI Consular Oak Worm (Anisota consularis) Royal Walnut Moth (Citheronia regalis) Wingspan: 32-66 56. mm; female larger Wingspan: 50-80 than male mm Host plants: Oaks Hostplants: Gener- DE - Range: Coastal alist: Various woody Moths Royal Royal Moths Royal - 13. Georgia south plants DE through Florida, west along the Gulf Range: Eastern two- thirds of U.S. Coast to Louisiana. 14. 57. BOMBYCOI BOMBYCOI Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) Tantalus Sphinx Moth (Aellopos tantalus) Wingspan: 45-57 mm Wingspan: 80-174 Host plants: Rubiaceae mm; female larger esp. Seven year apple than male DE - Royal Moths Royal (Casasia clusiifolia) Sphinx Sphinx Moths - Host plants: Gener- DE alist: Broadleaf trees Range: FL, MI, NY and shrubs. 42. Range: Eastern U.S, Ontario, Quebec 4. BOMBYCOI 43 5. Tetrio Sphinx (Pseudosphinx tetrio) Nessus Sphinx (Amphion floridensis ) BOMBYCOI Wingspan: 127-140 mm Wingspan: 37-55 mm Host plants: Plants in Host plants: Ampelopsis, Apocynaceae family esp. grape, and cayenne pep- Frangipani (Plumeria) per DE Sphinx Sphinx Moths - Range: FL, LA, TX, Range: Widespread - Sphinx Sphinx Moths DE Caribbean (Eastern North America) 91. BOMBYCOI 92. 94. Moths of South Florida Virginia Creeper Sphinx (Darapsa myron) Pluto Sphinx (Xylophanes pluto) BOMBYCOI Wingspan: 53-65 mm Wingspan: 45-65 mm Host plants: Firebush Host plants: (Hamelia spp.), Snow- berry (Chiococca spp.), Peppervine, Viburnum, DE Erythroxylon spp. - Sphinx Sphinx Moths grape, and Virginia Sphinx Sphinx Moths - Range: Cent. Am. MX, DE Creeper 95. Range: Eastern and central North America 108. BOMBYCOI 96. 109. BOMBYCOI Ello Sphinx (Erinnyis ello) Gaudy Sphinx Moth (Eumorpha labruscae) 19. Wingspan: 75-85 29. mm Wingspan: 108-112 Host plants: mm Host plants: Grapes, DE Sphinx Sphinx Moths Euphorbiaceae, - - Possum grape Myrtaceae, Sapota- Sphinx Moths DE ceae in FL (Cissus spp.) Range: Southern Range: Widespread Canada, CA, FL, (TX– Puerto Rico) TX BOMBYCOI 20. 30. Modest Sphinx (Pachysphinx modesta) Streaked Sphinx (Protambulyx strigilis) BOMBYCOI 72. 68 Wingspan: 76-120 Wingspan: 108- 130 mm mm Host plants: DE Host plants: Sphinx Sphinx Moths - - Salicaceae, willows Anacardiaceae Sphinx Moths DE in S. FL esp. Brazilian Pepper Range: Widespread in North America Range: FL-TX, and New World tropics 69. BOMBYCOI 73. Moths of South Florida BOMBYCOI Rustic Sphinx (Manduca rustica) Laurel Sphinx (Sphinx kalmiae) 58. Wingspan: 75-103 mm Host plant: Ash, fringe-tree, Wingspan: 87-150mm lilac, privet, and plants in the Host plants: General- Oleaceae. Likely Ligustrum DE - ist (privet) and Fraxinus (pop- Sphinx Sphinx Moths Sphinx Sphinx Moths - ash) in S. FL. Range: ME to TX and 66. DE FL, Southwestern Range: Eastern North U.S., West Indies, America Mexico to Argenti- na. 59. BOMBYCOI 67. Avocado Spanworm (Epimecis detexta) White-Tipped Black Moth (Melanchroia chephise) Wingspan: 30-35 GEOMETRID GEOMETRID MOTHS Host plants: Avo- mm cado Host plants: Gen- Range: Caribbean/ eralist Gulf Coast (FL- Range: Florida, DR) 80. southern Great 8. Plains, south to Paraguay, West Indies 81. MOTHS GEOMETRID Southern Emerald (Synchlora frondaria ) Heterocampa astarte OWLET MOTHS KIN AND 62. 37. Wingspan: 15 mm Range: FL, NC, SC Host plants: Generalists (sunflower, Bidens, Rudbeckia) - Prominent Moths Range: Southern USA, Central and 38. South America; Greater & Lesser 63. Antilles MOTHS GEOMETRID Moths of South Florida Hieroglyphic Moth (Diphthera festiva) Harnessed Tiger (Apantesis phalerata) KIN– Tiger AND OWLET Moths MOTHS 39. 74. Wingspan: 37-48 Wingspan: 30-42 mm mm Host plants: Gener- Host plants: clover, alist cord grass Range: AZ, TX-FL- (Spartina spp.), corn, NC, West Indies, dandelion, plantain Mexico- South Range: Ontario, 75.